London-based architecture studio Jonathan Tuckey Design has refurbished and converted a 200-year-old farmstead in Piedmont to create a home and studio. The project, named Cascina, aims to open up the facade to reconnect the building to the landscape and also to strip back additions made in the 1990s. With the methodology of ‘elegant appropriation’, the original fabric, including the stone walls and roof timbers, together with roof tiles, are reused. New repairs and upgrades are woven into the existing structure, creating a rich tapestry.
Renewable energy is supplied by a ground-source heat pump and solar panels, with the building insulated from the inside, and a granular render applied externally. Materials have been chosen for their texture and robustness and include hand-crafted plaster, Luserna stone, Cocciopesto flooring with recycled crushed terracotta tiles from the site, and locally sourced chestnut wood used for joinery.
The building volumes respond to the sloping site, with a reconfigured staircase creating a stronger link between the levels. Double-height spaces are established at ground floor level, and the former hay loft forms a studio with views of the Alps. The basement of the barn is converted into a spa with new openings that bring in more light and frame views. Photo by Francesca Iovene. Jonathan Tuckey Design
